Thor’s Purchase Spurred by Motorhome Growth

A look at the latest financial report from Thor Industries Inc. underscores the need for motorhome manufacturing ability that President and COO Bob Martin cited as a major reason the company announced this week that it will take over the former Monaco Coach/Navistar RV production facilities in Wakarusa, Ind.

The Elkhart Truth reported that in Thor’s quarterly report filed Thursday (June 7), company personnel detail the growth of Thor’s motorhome sales. During its third fiscal quarter — which set a sales record of $1.05 billion companywide — Thor shipped 34.2% more motorhomes. During that same period of February through April, the overall market increase in wholesale motorhome shipments was 29.8%.

The average price for motorhomes rose 13.6% over the same quarter in 2012, with the top-end Class A motorhomes seeing a 17% jump in sales price. “The increase in the overall net price per unit within the Class A product line of 17% is primarily due to increased sales of the generally larger and more expensive diesel units rather than the more moderately priced gas units when compared to a year ago,” according to the quarterly report.